Portable tray or table



T. G. FATE PORTABLE TRAY OR TABLE;

Dec. 8, 1942.

Filed Nov. 6, 1940 3mm T. G aZe 'tive to the body oftheuser'. A

A still furtherobject of this invention; is to.

Patented Dec. 8, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT GEFICE 2,304,705 7 PORTABLE TRAY OR 'TABLE v Thomas G. Pate, Liberal, Kans. Application November 6, 1940, Serial No. 364,578

' 1 Claim. (o1. 224-25) This invention relates to portable trays.

An'object of this invention is to provide a tray structure which is so constructed that it will readily be supported in a horizontal position, the tray being suspended from the neck of a person and disposed in front of the user. Another object of this invention is to provide in a tray structure of this kind, an improved-collapsible suspending means wherebythe positio of the tray may be adjusted as desired.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a tr-awstructure of this kind, means whereby the tray may be supported at the desired horizontal positioninirontof theuser and may also be-disposed-inrthe desired adjustedzpositiom relaprovide'a tray structure of this kind which has a. 'collapsible suspending means sothat when -the tray is not in use, .thetray maybe stacked .or nested, the suspending meansbeing collapsible adjacent the inner'edge of the tray. 1

To the foregoing-objects and to. others which may hereinafter appear; the inventionconsists of the-in'ovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will bezmore specifically referred to and illustrated .in the accompanying drawing ,wherein areshown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood. that changes; .variationsand modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a tray constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan of the tray structure.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on theline 3-3 of Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is aefragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2

Referring to the drawing, the numeral designates generally a tray structure including a bottom wall II, upstanding side flanges or beads l2, an upstanding rear bead or flange l3, and an upstanding front bead or flange M. In the present instance, the flanges I2, l3 and 14 are formed of quarter-round material which may be secured to the upper face of the bottom member II in any suitable manner. It is to be understood, however, that the bottom member H and the flanges l3, l3 and I4 may be formed out of metal wherein the flanges may be pressed out of the bottom wall.

The rear flange or bead I3 is positioned forwardly from the rear. edge l5 of .the bottom wall it and the bottom wall H. at a point centrally of the rear .edge 15 .thereofis provided with an arcuate cutout l6.

A pair of. elongated reinforcing bars I! and 18, for the wall H are secured as by fastening de-. vices l9 and 2.0, respectively, to the underside of the bottom .wall 1i, and are--disposed in parallel spaced relation, extendingirom the ends of the arcuate cutout l6. :T'he bar l1 at its rear end is provided with an :eye. or hook.2i .and the bar H3; at its rear endis; also :provided with an eye or hook. 22. The. eyes or hooks 2| and 22 are disposed i'nrearwardly extending relation with respectitothe rear edge l5 and the. eye or hook-2|; has engaged therewith an eye 23 which is carried by a tubular 'sus'pending'pmember. 24. The eye or-hook22 'has engaged therewith an eye 25 which is carried by the-lower end of, a tubular suspending member 26-.- .Themembers 24, 25 are for disposing; upwardly with respectito the rear edge 15 of wall .-.I i; when the tray is used.

:An elongatedflrod -21 istadapted -to.,t elescope into thetubulara suspending member 24 and is heldin adjusted position relative to the member 24 by means of a-.,thumb;-s,crew, 28d-which is threaded thro h thee-tubular. member 2-2. .A. second elongated.:-rod. .29 'ijsq-adapted to telescope into thetubularl'zifiemberifi and-is secured in adjusted position relativeto, the member '23 .by means of.a thumb screw: 33'. whichis threaded through the tubular member 26. The rods 21, 29 correlate with the members 24 and 26 respectively to form a 'pair of lengthwise adjustable suspension elements for the bottom wall H.

The upper end of the rod or telescope member 21 has secured thereto an elongated loop or eye member 31, which extends laterally from a side of the rod 21, and a hook 32 carried by a loop 33 is adapted to engage about the upper portion of the rod 21 between the ends of the loop or guide member 3!.

The guide member 3| limits the movement of the hook 32 lengthwise of the rod 21. The rod 29 adjacent the upper end thereof is also provided with a second loop or eye member 34 which extends laterally from a side of the rod 29 and constitutes a guide and stop means for a hook 35 which is carried by a loop 36. The loop 33 engages about a flexible combined coupling and hanger strap or member 31 for the suspension elements. The strap or member 31 has secured thereto a buckle 38. The loop 34 is secured ina reverted end portion 39 of strap or member 31. While I have shown the strap 31 with the hooks ar it-i 5?":

32 and 36 engaged directly with the upper ends of the rods 21 and 29, respectively-it will be understood that if desired a spring'or other yieldable means may be secured to the upper ends of the rods 21 and 29 and engaged at the opposite ends thereof with the eyes 3| and 34 in order that the suspension means when in applied position may readily conform itself to the configuration of the user.

In order to provide a means whereby the rear edgeiof the tray may be extended forwardly from the body of the user, I have provided an arcuate bar 40 which is secured at its central portion to an elongated adjustable supporting bar 4 I. The supporting bar 4| is slidable in a U-shaped guide channel member 42 which is formed at the opposite longitudinal edges thereof with base flanges 43.

The base flanges 43 are secured to the underside of the bottom wall II by means of fastening devices 44. It will be understood that wher the tray I0 is made of metal, the guide member 42 may be formed integrally with the bottom wall II by striking out the channel 42 therefrom. The supporting bar 4| is held in longitudinal adjusted position relative to the channel member 42 by means of a locking pin 45 carried by a flat spring 46 which is fixed at one end to the channel member 42 by fastening devices 41. The spring 46 is outwardly bent as at 48 to form a finger piece and the slide bar 4| is formed with a plurality of sockets 49 in a selected one of which the locking pin 45 is adapted to engage. When the arcuate bar 40 in inoperative position, it is positioned in the area below the arcuate cutout 5. p

In the use and operation of this tray, the strap 31 is engaged about the neck of the user extending about the rear portion thereof with the hooks 32 and 35 positioned in front ofthe user. The rods 2'! and 29 may be adjusted relative to the tubular members 24 and 26 and secured in their adjusted position by means of the set screws or thumb bolts 28 and 30, respectively. The desired articles may then be placed on the'tray l0 within the area defined by the flanges |2, |3 and M. In its operative position, the cutout l6. will engage the user at a point adjacent'the waistline or any other suitable position and the weight of the tray will press the tray inwardly so that articles may be placed on the outer portion of the tray without the tray tilting downwardly at its outer portion. This tray will stay in the desired horizontal position but disposed with cutout l6 against the body so that the user may use both hands in removing the articles from the tray.

The loop members 2| and 22 and the eye members 23 and 25 are so arranged that the rods attached thereto may be pivoted in a single plane to allow them to fold along the rear edge of the tray. When the rods 24 and 28 are in upstanding position, the eyes'23 and 25 so engage the loop members 2| and 22 that it is impossible to pivot the rods 24 and 25 in any other plane except that mentioned. In operative position, the axis of the eyes 23 and 25 is substantially axially arranged with respect to the bar IT.

This tray may be used in restaurants, cafeterias, warehouses or other places where it may be found desirable. The suspending members comprising the telescoping members 24 and 21 and the members 26 and 29 may be disposed in an inoperative position by releasing one of the attaching hooks carried by the strap 31 and then swinging the suspending members downwardly toward the tray l0. These suspending members may then be disposed in crossed relation at the rear of the tray II]. In this manner, the tray structure when in collapsed position will occupy only a very small amount of space so that a number of trays may be stacked one upon another.

- What I claim is:

A portable tray comprising a tray member, a pair of spaced apart reinforcing bars secured to the bottom of said tray, a pair of loops fixed at the inner end of said reinforcing bars parallel to the plane of the tray and extending past the rear edgeof said tray member, saidtray member having an arcuate cutout in its rear edge between said reinforcing bars, a pair of slidably telescoping upstanding supporting rods having eyes pivoted at their lower ends to said loops, the axis of said eyes being in substantial axial alignment with said bars, and an adjustable neck engaging means secured to the. upper ends of said rods, said supporting rods comprising the sole support of said tray when the latter is in horizontal operative position; said rods being foldable into inoperative position along the rear edge of said tray.

THOMAS G. PATE. 

